Will the Nigerian foreign player soon obtain Vietnamese citizenship?

Reports regarding SLNA's foreign player Michael Olaha soon obtaining Vietnamese citizenship have attracted notice, yet this process still requires many formalities and cannot be finished in a short time.

Information that Michael Olaha, the forward for Song Lam Nghe An, is soon to acquire Vietnamese citizenship is attracting significant interest from fans. According to multiple sources, the Nghe-based club has begun preparing documents for the Nigerian striker. However, the possibility of him becoming a Vietnamese citizen in the near future is not yet certain.

In reality, the naturalization process for a foreign player is not simply a matter of completing administrative paperwork. Michael Olaha first needs to be recognized by the head coach of the Vietnamese national team, Mr. Kim Sang Sik, as a "special talent" who can contribute professionally to the national team. Afterwards, the dossier must still go through various levels of verification and approval. This is a stringent process that cannot be shortened overnight.

In terms of skill, Olaha is not an exceptionally outstanding forward in the V.League, but his ability is widely acknowledged. Over many seasons, the 30-year-old striker has consistently been the attacking pillar for SLNA. This season, as captain, he has scored 6 goals and directly contributed to many crucial points, helping the Nghe team move closer to their goal of staying in the league.

Although he has lived in Vietnam for over 5 years, Olaha's time has not been entirely continuous, as he previously played for Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel. According to FIFA regulations, to be eligible for a change of association and to play for the Vietnamese national team, he still needs to continue playing in Vietnam until the end of the 2027 season.

In this context, the Vietnamese national team could soon welcome other naturalized players such as Do Hoang Hen (Hendrio Araujo) – who will be eligible from January 2026, and Do Phi Long (Gustavo Santos), expected to be ready by 2027. The success of Nguyen Xuan Son also opens up opportunities for other foreign players wishing to make long-term contributions.

For his part, Michael Olaha has expressed his wish to naturalize to play for the Vietnamese national team. According to many sources, his application has been prepared, with some information even suggesting he could receive citizenship by August. However, considering current regulations and the approval process, this possibility still requires more time to become a reality.

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